Hydraulic jack



April 1966 D. B. KLUENDER 3,248,085

HYDRAULIC J AGK Filed Jan. 20, 1964 man INVENTOR. DAV/D 3 A? 4/54/05? United States Patent 3,248,085 HYDRAULIC JACK David B. Kluender, Bricelyn, Minn. Filed Jan. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 338,746 12 Claims. (Cl. 254-93) This invention relates to jacks and more particularly to a'power jack of the hydraulic or fluid actuator'type -in which the actuator has a relatively short range of movement and the jack operates through step by step movement to lift a pedestal over va wider range of movement for lifting relatively heavy objects through large diserally complex structures. The improved hydraulic jack or fluid powered. jack of the present invention utilizes a simple support and lifting structure with a simplified latching means therebetween in which the fluid power actuator is rigidly connected to the support and moves the lifting structure in a step by step movement over wide ranges of movement. The jack further includes an improved and simplified release mechanism for lowering the jack which operates on the latches to' release the same sequentially as the fluid power actuator is reciprocated with the load on the jack being borne by the fluid power actuator in the lowering direction.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved jack of the power type having step by step movement. 7

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved jack of this type in which the fluid power actuator remains stationarily connected to the support and permits large ranges of movement beyond the normal operating range of the fluid power actuator.

A further object of this invention is to provide in an improved jack, a simplified release mechanism for lowermg operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved jack in which a conventional hydraulic cylinder normally available with power equipment on a farm is suitable for incorporation into the jack as the power means.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved jack structure which is simple in design, sturdy in construction and economical to manufacture with improved safety features in the operation of the same.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached description together with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the improved hydraulic jack,

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view of the improved hydraulic jack,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the hydraulic jack of FIGURES 1 and 2,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another portion of the hydraulic jack'of FIGURES 1 and 2,

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation view of another embodiment of the improved hydraulic jack,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the release structure of the hydraulic jack of FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the release structure of the hydraulic jack of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 8 is a side view of a pin for theimproved hydraulic jack of the embodiments of FIGURES l-7.

The improved jack of the subject invention is shown in one embodiment in FIGURES 1 and 2 with the general designation 10. This improved jack includes a first upright channel member 12 or support and guide having an enlarged base part 14 at one extremity thereof. Positioned within the channel member 12 is an elongated inner channel member 16 or lift member adapted to fit within and slidably move relative to the upright channel member 12. The inner channel member 16 includes a transversely extending flange or load carrying flange 18 at one extremity thereof and a plurality of holes 20 or latching means which operate as a detent. for holding the jack parts, as will be hereinafter described. The upright channel member 12 has a sleeve type thrust member or sleeve 24 positioned thereon, which. sleeve is generally rectangular in cross section and encircles the upright and inner channel members 12 and 16 and is slidably mounted thereon. Sleeve 24 includes a mounting for. a pin 26 which extends through the sleeve and a slot 28 in the upright channel member and is adapted to engage the holes or apertures 20 in the inner channel member for lifting purposes. in the upper extremity of the upright channel member 12. The pin 30 extends through the channel member and fits into the holes 20 in the inner channel member.

Also included on the sleeve 24 is a flange 33 having an aperture 34 therein which flange mounts or connects to the movable element or shaft 35 of a fluid or hydraulicactuator 37 whose cylinder 36 is similarly connected to a flange 40 mounted to the upright channel member and the base 14 through a suitable aperture 38. The flanges 33 and 40 are adapted to mount the hydraulic actuator or fluid actuator 37 which may be readily removed therefrom by removing .the mounting pins 42 extending through the apertures in the flanges 33 and 40 such that the actuator may be utilized for other purposes. The actuator 37 is conventional in form and is shown schematically herein as including fluid lines 44, 45 leading thereto which are adapted to be connected to a hydraulic power source or a fluid power source such as is normally found on a tractor or equivalent motive equipment. Pins 26 and 30 positioned in the sleeve 24 and upright channel member 12, respectively, are adapted to lift the inner channel member 16 relative to the upright channel member 12 through operation of the hydraulic motor which reciprocates between fixed positions urging the sleeve 24 on the upright channel member up and down or relative thereto. The pins 26 and 30 are identical (see FIGURE 8) in construction and have a tapered extremity, such as is indicated at 46, which extremity extends through the holes or apertures 20 in the inner channel member. This taper is normally located on the bottom surface such that the inner channel member may be moved upward relative to the upright channel member 12 and the bevel or slope 46 on the pins will urge the pins out of engagement with the holes for this direction of movement. The flat upper surface of the pins 26, 30 prevent reverse movement of the channel members except under conditions when the pins are moved through other means.

Associated with the pins 26, 30 are links 47, 48 which are mounted respectively on the upright channel member 12 and the sleeve 24 through suitable journalling flanges 49, 50 for rotative or pivotal movement. Each of the links 47, 48 have a transversely extending end portion 52,

- 53 respectively which fit into an aperture (see FIGURE holes 20 in the inner channel member. Link 47 is bent at its other extremity 55 normal to the transverse portion 52 and pivotally mounts a connecting link 57 thereon,

Patented Apr. 26, 1966' A similar pin 30 is slidably mounted t; which link is connected to a sleeve member 60 through a pivotal connection 62. Sleeve member 60 is mounted on a rod 65 which, as will be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, is connected to the sleeve 24 through a flange 66 such that the rod 65 will move with the sleeve 24. The sleeve member 60 thereon permits the rod to move within the same or slide relative thereto. As will be seen in FIG- URES l and 3, the sleeve member 60 at the pivotal connection 62 mounts a small spring 68 which is secured at its other extremity to a flange 69 mounted on the upright channel member 12, which spring 68 urges the link 47 in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 1, urging the pin 30 in a direction toward the inner channel member and the apertures or holes 20 therein. Vertical movement of the sleeve 60 on the rod 65 will overcome the force of the spring 68 and cause counterclockwise pivoting of the link urging the pin 30 out of engagement with the holes 20 in the inner channel member. For this purpose, a spring 72 is mounted on the rod 65 and has a collar 74 associated therewith with a locking screw 75 therein. The locking screw will be threaded into the collar and against the rod 65 to position the collar and hence the spring 72 on the rod. The purpose of positioning the collar 74 is to effect a positioning of the spring 72'resting on the same such that upon upward movement of the rod 65 with upward movement of the sleeve 24 on the channel member 12, the spring 72 will engage the sleeve member 60 on the rod 65 and urge the sleeve member 60 upward providing the counterclockwise rotation of the link'47 to slidably move the pin 30 out 'of the holes 20 in the inner channel member 16 for release of the inner channel member, as will be hereinafter described.

A similar structure is provided for moving the pin 26 in the sleeve 24 to disengage the same from the holes 20 in the inner channel member 16. Thus the link 48 has an extension 80 which is bent normal to the transverse extremity 52 contacting pin 26 and has journalled thereon a flange or connecting link member 82. This extremity of the link 48 mounts a small coil spring 84 which is connected at its other extremity to' a flange 85mounted on sleeve 24, the purpose of which is to bias the link 48 in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 1, urging the pin 26 through the sleeve 26 and into engagement with the aperturesor holes 20 in the inner channel member. The connecting link 82, as will be best seen in FIGURES l and 2, mounts at its other extremity a sleeve member 90 which is pivotally connected to the link 82 through a pivot connection 92 and is slidably positioned on a rod 94 which is secured to the upright channel member through a flange 95 and a flange 96'connecting the extremities of the rod 94 to the upright channel member and spacing the same therefrom. Rod 94 also carries a collar 99 with a locking screw 97 therein adapted to position aspring 98. thereon which spring bears against the sleeve 90 and applies a thrust force through the link 82 to the extension 80 of link 48 to provide counterclockwise rotation of the link 48 and hence slidable'movement of the pin 26 out of the confines of the sleeve 24 and away from the holes 20 in the inner channel member 16.

In the lifting operation of theimproved hydraulic jack, the collar means 74 and 99 are normally released, allowing the springs 98 and 72 to be freely positioned on their respective rods 94 and 65. In the operation of the improved jack the short stroke high powered hydraulic actuator is controlled from a remote source. Movement of the actuator shaft moves the sleeve 24 coupled thereto the upper end of the upright channel member 12 will be deflected or slidably moved outward as the inner channel moves up due to the bevel 46 on the end of the pin.

. At the extreme position of movement of the shaft 35 out channel member 16 relative to the upright channel member 12 and maintain the load positioned on the load carrying flange 18 in a raised position. As the hydraulic flow through the conduits 44, 45 to the hydraulic actuators 37 is reversed, the load will be supported through the upper pin 30 and the pin 26 in the sleeve 24 will be urged out of engagement with the hole 20 in the inner channel member as the sleeve 24 is moved down on the upright channel member 12. At the bottom of the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder, the pin 26 will again be aligned with one of the holes or apertures 20 in the inner channel member 16 and the hydraulic cylinder will be again reciprocated in the upward direction raising the inner channel member 16 and the load mounted on the flange 18. I

The upper pin 30 which had held the load through the inner channel member 16 during the downward stroke of relative to the upright channel member in a vertical dithe piston and shaft 35 of the cylinder 37 will be moved out of engagement with the inner channel member 16 in the raising or lifting direction of movement of the inner channel member to provide for an elevation of the load on the flange 18 in a step by step manner. This improved jack design will permit any short stroke actuator to elevate with the improved jack a load over a Wide range of movement and under high power conditions. The hydraulic operator or actuator 37 is retained on the upright channel member in a fixed position with respect to external connections thereby simplifying the operation and connection of the same.

To release the jack and lower the load, the collars 74 and 99 are raised on their respective rods 65 and 94 to a position where the springs 72 and 98 carried thereon will engage the sleeve members 60 and on the rods for the purpose of transmitting a spring force to the links 47, 48 respectively. Thus the collar 74 will be so positioned that the spring 72 on the rod 65 will engage the sleeve member 60 on the upward end of the stroke of the cylinder as the sleeve 24 is raised to engage the sleeve member 60 and apply a counterclockwise force to the link 47 moving the pin 30 out of the inner channel pin 26 connected thereto out of the apertures in the inner channel member. Thus, with the collars 74 and so positioned on their respective rods, the hydraulic operator will again be reciprocated with the load in an elevated position. At the upper end of the stroke, the sleeve 26 will compress the spring 72 (on the rod 65, urging the sleeve member 60 and hence the connecting link 57 and the portion 55 of the link 47 in a counterclockwise direction to release the pin 30 from the aperture or hole 20 in the inner channel member 16 such that the inner 1 channel member may be lowered relative to the upright channel member 12. in the sleeve 24 will transmit the force of the load through the sleeve 24 to the shaft 35 of the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic cylinder with a reverse flow will carry the load on the jack in the lowering direction. As the shaft 26 reaches the end of its downward stroke, the sleeve 24 through the link 48 and link 82 will compress the spring 98, causing the link 48 to be urged in a counterclockwise direction withdnawing the pin 26 fromthe inner channel member 16 at the bottom of the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder. At-this point, the spring tension on Under these conditions, the pin 26 110 to provide the lowering operation.

the spring 72 will have been released by virtue of the downward movement of the sleeve 24 and the pin 30 in the upper end of the upright channel member will again be inserted into one of the holes in the inner channel member 16 to support the load on the flange '18 as the actuator shaft 35 is again moved in the upward direction. In the upward direction of movement of the shaft 35, the load will remain fixed until the actuator has reached the top of its stroke at which point the pin will be released and the pin 26 will be moved into engagement with an aperture or hole 20 in the inner channel member- 16 to permit the weight of the load to be supported through the sleeve 24 to the shaft of the actuator 37 such that the actuator may resist and carry the load supported on the flange 18 in the loweringdirection. This lowering operation will follow the same step by step movement 'with the load being supported by the downward movement of the shaft 35 into the cylinder 36 of the hydraulic actuator and with the pins 26 and 30 being released respectively at the lower and upper ends of the stroke of the hydraulic actuator through the operation of the springs 72 and 98 on the rods 65 and 94.

An alternate embodiment or construction is shown for the jack in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7. The details of the upright and inner channel members, the actuator and the sleeve mounting the same together with the pin-s 26 and 30 remain unchanged in this embodiment. The modification in this embodiment relates to the structure operating to release the pins 26 and 30 in the lowering operation of the jack. Thus, in this embodiment, a single shaft 100 is utilized which shaft is mounted on the upright channel member 12 through a lower flange 102 and an upper flange 103 which supports the same relative to the upright channel member. In this embodiment, the same connecting links 57 and 82 are employed and are connected to the sleeve members 60 and 90 at the upper and lower extents of the rod. Similarly, the springs 72 and 98 are employed which springs transmit the bias force through the sleeve members 60 and 90 to the pivoted links 47 and 48 to move the pins 30 and 26 away from the apertures in the inner channel member. In this improved embodiment, the collars 74 and 99 are omitted and in their place a pivoted flange 110 is mounted on the sleeve 24 which flange is adapted to engage the end of the spring 72. The flange has a notch therein which fits around the rod 100 so as to urge the spring 72 against the sleeve member 60 for counterclockwise rotation of the link 47 and slidable movement of the pin 30 out of the inner channel member. The lower extremity of the upright channel member 12 also carries a similar pivoted flange 1 12 which flange takes the place of the adjustable collar 99 and positions the spring 98 on the rod 100 relative to the sleeve member '90 such that the spring 98 may be compressed on downward movement of the sleeve 24 to release the pin 26 from the inner channel member. Also included on the rod 100 is a small fixed flange or collar 115 designed to retain the spring 72 in a somewhat elevated position on the rod whenever the pivoted flange l lti is moved out of engagement with the rod and spring 72. This merely retains the spring 72 in proximity with the sleeve member so that it may be readily positioned for engagement by the pivoted flange In the lifting operation with this modification of the jack, the flanges 1'10 and 112 are moved out of engagement with the rod 100 such that the springs 72 and 98 will not be compressed with movement of the sleeve 24 on the upright channel member 12. The lifting function or operation is then identical with the embodiment of the jack previously described. In the flowering function, with an elevated load on the jack, the springs 72 and 98 are positioned by pivoting the flanges 1'10, 112 into positions on the rod 100 such that the spring 72 may be moved into engagement with the sleeve member 60 to release 7 the upper pin 30 and such that the sleeve member will engage and compress the spring 98 to effect release of the pin 26 on the downward stroke of the hydraulic cylinder. The releasing operation or lowering operation of the jack is then identical with that described in the beforementioned embodiment. v

In considering this invention, it will be recognized that the shape of the pins, the supporting structure for the pins and the springs may be altered in form within the scope of the invention. Therefore, in considering this invention it should be remembered that these disclosures are intended to'be illustrative only, and the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A jack of the class described comp-rising in combination, an elongated upright channel member having an enlarged base at one extremity thereof, an inner elongated channel member positioned within the upright channel member and movable therein relative to the upright channel member, said inner channel member extent of the same, a sleeve slidably mounted on and encircling said inner and upright channel members, a pin mounted in said sleeve extending through said slot in said upright channel member and selectively engageablle with spaced holes in said inner channel member, a pin slidably mounted in the other extremity of said upright channel member and selectively engageable with the spaced holes in said inner channel member, a fluid motor having relatively reciprocal elements, means connectingone of the reciprocal elements of said fluid motor to said upright channel member and the other of said reciprocal elements to said sleeve, first and second pivotal link means pivotally mounted on said sleeve and said upright channel members respectively adjacent said pins and having transverse extremities engaging said pins to slidably move said pins into and out of said holes in said inner channel member, said link means having arm means normal to the transverse extremity, spring bias means connected to said arm means of said link means to urge said pins toward said holes in said inner channel member, rod means mounted in part on said upright channel member and extending along the extent of the. same, sleeve means mounted on said rod means in proximity with the extremities of said upright channel member, connection means pivotally connecting the arm means of said link means to said sleeve means, springs positioned on said rod means and adapted to cooperate with the sleeve means on said rod means, and means selectively adjustable for positioning said springs on said rod means relative to said sleeve means such that whensaid sleeve on said channel members is moved to one position on said channel members-through reciprocation of said fluid motor to one relative position of the reciprocal elements one of said sleeve means on said rod means will be urged by one of the springs on said rod means to pivot one of said links and move one of said pins away from the holes in said inner channel member, said other of said pins being moved away from the holes in said inner channel members when the other of said springs urges the other of said sleeve means on said rod means to pivot the other of said link means with reciprocation of said fluid motor elements to a second position.

2. The jack of claim 1 in which the extremities of said pins-inserted into said holes are tapered such that the inner channel member may move relative to the upright channel member for one direction of relative movement urging the pins out of engagement with the holes due to the taper thereon and such that said pins will retain and prevent relative movement between the inner channel member and the upright channel member for an opposite direction of relative movement.

7 3. The jack of claim 2 in which the selectably adjustable means for positioning the springs on the rod means may be positioned for a lifting operation of the jack in which these springs will not be effective to engage the sleeve means on the rod means and tilt the link means to release the pins from said holes in the inner channel member and such that reciprocation of the elements of the fluid motor will cause the. pin in the sleeve to raise the inner channel member for one direction of reciprocal movement of, the fluid motor and the pin in the other extremity of the channel member to retain the inner channel member fixed to the upright channel member as the fluid motor is reciprocated in the opposite direction.

4. The jack of claim 3 in which the selectively adjustable means are adjustable collars positioned on said rod means.

5. The jack of claim 4 in Which the rod means are a pair of rods one of which is securedto the upright channel member with the sleeve means thereon cooperating through the connection means to the pin in said sleeve and the other of said rods being mounted on said sleeve and carrying the sleeve means cooperating with the pin in the other extremity of said upright channel member.

6. The jack of claim 3 in which the selectively adjustable means are pivoted flange means mounted on the upright channel member and said sleeve and adapted to position the ends of the springs on said rod means.

7. A jack of the class described comprising, an elongated guide member having an enlarged base at one ex tremity thereof, an elongated lift member positioned on and movable along the elongated guide member and having a load carrying flange extending therefrom, a sleeve slidably mounted on and encircling said guide and lift members, a pair of lifting pins slidably mounted respectively in said sleeve and said guide member and adapted to engage pin receiving means in said lift member for moving said lift member relative to said guide member, pin moving means mounted on said guide member and said sleeve and cooperating with the pins to slidably move said pins into and out of engagement with said pin receiving means, a fluid motor having relatively reciprocal elements, means connecting the elements of said motor to said guide means and said sleeve to move said sleeve relative to said guide means and lift said lift member with reciprocation of said reciprocal elements, means including force transmitting means operatively connected to the pin moving means for slidably positioning the pins disposed along said guide means and selectively operative with reciprocation of the elements of said fluid motor, and means included in said last named means for rendering said force transmitting means ineffective to move said pins with reciprocation of the elements of said fluid motor.

8. A jack of the class described comprising, an elongated guide member having an enlarged base at one extremity thereof, an elongated lift member positioned on and movable along the elongated guide member and having a load carrying flange extending therefrom, a sleeve slidably mounted on and encircling said guide and lift members, a pair of lifting pins slidably mounted respectively in said sleeve and said guide member and adapted to engage pin receiving means in said lift member for moving said lift member relative to said guide member, pin moving means mounted on said guide member and said sleeve and cooperating with the pins to slidably move said pins into and out of engagement with said pin receiving means, a fluid motor having relatively reciprocal elements, means connecting the elements of said motor to said guide means and said sleeve to move said sleeve relative to .said guide means and lift said lift member with reciprocation of said reciprocal elements, first and second pivotal link means mounted on said sleeve and said guide means for moving said pins into and out of engagement with said pin receiving means, means connected to said link means for urging said pins into engagement with said pin receiving means, rod means mounted on said guide means and including a pair of sleeve means pivotally connected to said link means and operative to pivot said link means and move said pins out of engagement with said pin receiving means, spring means mounted on said rod means and adapted to cooperate with said sleeve means to pivot said link means and move said pins out of engagement with said pin receiving means, and selectively adjustable means associated with said spring means on said rod means for.

urging said sleeve means through said spring means to pivot said link means and move said pins with reciprocation of'the elements of said fluid motor.

9. The jack of claim 8 in which said rod means are a pair of rods connected respectively to said guide means i and said sleeve and in which the selectively adjustable means are adjustable collars positioned thereon for positioning the ends of said spring means.

10. The jack of claim 8 in which the rod means is a rod connected in part to said guide means and extending along the extent of said guide means with a pair of spring means mounted thereon, and the selectively adjustable means are pivoted flanges connected respectively to the guide means and the sleeve and adapted to position the ends of the spring means on the rod.

11. The jack of claim 8 in Which the pin receiving means are holes in said lift member and the pins are tapered to permit relative movement of the lift member on the guide means in one direction and prevent such movement in the opposite direction.

12. The jack of claim 8 in which the pin receiving means are holes in the lift member and the pins are tapered at their extent to fit into the holes in the lift member permitting relative movement of the lift member on the guide member in one direction such that the pins are urged out of engagement with the holes and preventing relative movement of the lift member on the guide member in the opposite direction of relative movement.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

8/1957 Ronfeldt 254106 

7. A JACK OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED GUIDE MEMBER HAVING AN ENLARGED BASE AT ONE EXTREMITY THEREOF, AN ELONGATED LIFT MEMBER POSITIONED ON AND MOVABLE ALONG THE ELONGATED GUIDE MEMBER AND HAVING A LOAD CARRYING FLANGE EXTENDING THEREFROM, A SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON AND ENCIRCLING SAID GUIDE AND LIFT MEMBERS, A PAIR OF LIFTING PINS SLIDABLY MOUNTED RESPECTIVELY IN SAID SLEEVE AND SAID GUIDE MEMBERS AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE PIN RECEIVING MEANS IN SAID LIFT MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID LIFT MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID GUIDE MEMBER, PIN MOVING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER AND SAID SLEEVE AND COOPERATING WITH THE PINS TO SLIDABLY MOVE SAID PINS INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PIN REREIVING MEANS, A FLUID MOTOR HAVING RELATIVELY RECIPROCAL ELEMENTS, MEANS CONNECTING THE ELEMENTS OF SAID MOTOR TO SAID GUIDE MEANS AND SAID SLEEVE TO MOVE SAID SLEEVE RELATIVE TO SAID GUIDE MEANS AND LIFT SAID LIFT MEMBER WITH 